 - The Fremont County Commission is getting closer to deciding how to distribute the $1.6 million in revenues it still has to spend from the optional half percent sales tax for economic development that ended in 2024.){kind=link}
(Lander, WY) – The Fremont County Commission is getting closer to deciding how to distribute the $1.6 million in revenues it still has to spend from the optional half percent sales tax for economic development that ended in 2024.
The money must be spent on projects that bring outside dollars into the community, or that retain or increase jobs in Fremont County, Commissioner Mike Jones said, arguing that the local ambulance system would be eligible to receive some of the funding based on those parameters.
Jones also noted that local officials have been “knocking on our door” asking for funding to support the minimum revenue guarantee that helps maintain commercial air service at Central Wyoming Regional Airport – but he advised waiting until after this year’s primary election to allocate any money to that project, depending on the outcome of the optional three-quarter percent sales tax question voters will consider passing in August.
Another potential recipient of Fremont County’s half percent sales tax dollars is the Riverton Medical District, which is currently planning to open its new hospital in Riverton “without a kitchen – which means no dietary in-house,” Jones said.
“They can outsource it, but they will not have a functioning kitchen,” he said. “They’re about $600,000 shy.”
Jones suggested allocating $400,000 in economic development money to the hospital to “see if we can get them a little bit closer” to affording a kitchen, and his fellow commissioners said they were in favor of that proposal.
“I like the idea,” Commissioner Larry Allen said. “I think it’s going to be a great facility (and) a great asset to the community.”
Before making any decisions, however, Fremont County Clerk Julie Freese recommended the commission include the topic on the agenda for their next meeting so “people know” they’ll be discussing it.
“(Let’s) go ahead and have one more discussion next week … just so that you can get some input from people,” she said, adding, “We’ve been holding that money for a couple of years, and I just feel like we need to move on that in some way.”